Repurposed means taking an existing material, item, or product and finding a new use for it instead of letting it go to waste. At Ciclado, you'll find products that give materials such as aluminum can tabs, recycled glass, reclaimed wood, textiles, and other materials a new purpose.

The terms are related, but they describe different approaches. Repurposing gives an existing material or item a new use, often without breaking it down into its original materials. Recycling generally involves processing a material so it can be used to make something new. Upcycling takes an existing material or item and transforms it into something with a new purpose, often without the energy-intensive processing involved in recycling. The terms can overlap, and manufacturers may use them differently, so we focus on the story and materials behind each product.

Repurposed products give existing materials another opportunity to be useful. Choosing one can help support creative approaches to reducing waste while giving you something practical, beautiful, or simply unexpected. We also think there's something satisfying about knowing the story behind what you use.

Sometimes, but not always. Some products are made from materials that would otherwise have been discarded, while others use materials that are leftover, recovered, reclaimed, or no longer needed for their original purpose. We share the material story for each product whenever we have reliable information about how it was made.

Not necessarily. A product isn't automatically more sustainable simply because it is labeled repurposed, recycled, or upcycled. Its overall impact can also depend on factors such as how the material was sourced, how it was processed, how long the product lasts, and whether it will actually be used.

That's why we don't think there is a single label that makes a product the "best" choice. We look at the story behind the product and how it fits into a more thoughtful approach to what we buy and use.